Misconduct

Michigan Tech strives to promote an atmosphere of honesty and integrity among its faculty, students, and staff, and requires all research to be carried out in a manner reflective of these principles. Misconduct in research is a matter of concern to the University, individual scientists, sponsors of research, and the general public.

"Misconduct" or "Misconduct in Research" means fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, deception, misrepresentation, arbitrary selection of data in proposing, performing, reviewing research, or reporting research results. It does not include honest error or honest difference in interpretations or judgments of data. All allegations of research misconduct undergo inquiry, investigation and hearing phases as needed.

ARRA Whistleblower Protection Notification

The University has been awarded funding for research, student support, or other needs from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). In order to accept ARRA funding, employers must have in place procedures prohibiting retaliation against employees who make good faith reports of misconduct. The University already has such procedures, and will provide appropriate support to reporting employees to protect against retaliation and respond to concerns of retaliation or unfair treatment linked to the employee’s reporting.

ARRA expressly states that:

As a receiver of stimulus funds, the University may not discharge, demote or otherwise discriminate against a University employee as reprisal for disclosing information that the employee reasonably believes is evidence of:

gross mismanagement of an agency contract or grant relating to covered funds;

a gross waste of covered funds;

a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety related to the implementation or use of covered funds;

an abuse of authority related to the implementation or use of covered funds; or

a violation of law, rule, or regulation related to an agency contract or grant awarded or issued relating to covered funds.

Under ARRA, an employee may make a disclosure of the information described above to one or more of the following:

the Recovery Accountability and Transparency (RAAT) Board;

an Inspector General of a federal agency;

the Comptroller General;

a member of Congress;

a State or Federal regulatory or law enforcement agency;

a person with supervisory authority over the employee or such other person working for the employer who has the authority to investigate, discover or terminate misconduct;

a court or grand jury;

or the head of a Federal agency or their representatives.

The University has a confidential reporting service that may be used for this purpose (toll-free 1-888-279-5281) or via a confidential Web link (https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/en/report_custom.asp?clientid=19141), where anonymous reports may be made. In addition, you also have the option of reporting your concerns directly to the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services through the OIG Hotline. The choice of which reporting option(s) to use rests with the individual making the report.

A full description of your rights and remedies provided under the act can be found by clicking on the following link: